Best Sports Talker

Greg Brinda

This man would deserve the nod if only for surviving the late-night purgatory that was the Indians' post-game show. But the dean of Cleveland sports talk earns his honor mostly for recognizing what none of his peers seem to grasp: that there are no original insights in the world of sports talk. So Brinda eschews the ubiquitous Jim Rome posturing and the tiresome know-it-all bluster in favor of a brand-new old approach: authentic banter from a long-suffering but well-adjusted fan. All this, plus the man is the ultimate utility player — he'll finish a WKNR graveyard shift on the Tribe, then chase it with a sunrise golf show. Under-appreciated but ever present, Brinda is the spackle of sports-talk radio: He fills in holes all over the place and makes the whole thing look a lot better.